An informative and useful account of complex numbers that includes historical anecdotes, ideas for further research, outlines of theory and a detailed analysis of the ever-elusory Riemann hypothesis. Stephen Roy assumes no detailed mathematical knowledge on the part of the reader and provides a fascinating description of the use of this fundamental... more...

Two distinct systems of hypercomplex numbers in n dimensions are introduced in this book, for which the multiplication is associative and commutative, and which are rich enough in properties such that exponential and trigonometric forms exist and the concepts of analytic n-complex function, contour integration and residue can be defined. The first... more...

Today complex numbers have such widespread practical use--from electrical engineering to aeronautics--that few people would expect the story behind their derivation to be filled with adventure and enigma. In An Imaginary Tale , Paul Nahin tells the 2000-year-old history of one of mathematics' most elusive numbers, the square root of minus one, also... more...

I used to think math was no fun 'Cause I couldn't see how it was done Now Euler's my hero For I now see why zero Equals e [pi] i +1 --Paul Nahin, electrical engineer In the mid-eighteenth century, Swiss-born mathematician Leonhard Euler developed a formula so innovative and complex that it continues to inspire research, discussion, and even... more...

Complex Numbers and Vectors draws on the power of intrigue and uses appealing
applications from navigation, global positioning systems, earthquakes, circus acts
and stories from mathematical history to explain the mathematics of vectors and
the discoveries in complex numbers. more...